Morning journal and courier., 1887-12-15
THE WAR ON THE REED SEA.
An Interesting Conflict About to Be-
 sin-What 1t is All About.

An Interesting Conflict About to Be-
 gin-What 1t is All About.
 From the New York Sun.1
 Amid the turmoil and distraction of Euro pean complications very little attention has been paid to what is going on at Massowah on the Red Sea, and the people seem to for get that we are within a week or two of 8 really interesting war. It is over two years since Italy, seeing no immediate prospect of obtaining possession of Tripo1i, decided to establish itself on the Red Sea. England very ebligingly offered no objections and the Italian troops were landed at Massowah; but the king of Abyssinia, who had long main tained that this port ought to belong to him, protested against the presence of Italians, and emphasized his objections last winter by attacking and annihilating strong detach- ment of the invaders army. Since then Ita- ly has been thirsting for revenge as ardently as the maddest of French ravanchists. but she has been prudent withal. Troops and stores have been sent month by month until there are now probably twenty thousand Italians and ten thousand native allies at Massowah and in the neighborhood ready to take the field. A good deal of mystery has shrouded Massowah for a long time past. There are several special correspondents on
 
 graph, and their letters are severely edited. News, therefore, comes in driblets and through private sources. 1t is not pleasant news for the Italians at home Confusion, disease and death seem to reign in Massowah. The place is crowded to a pestilential extent, and the immortality is rampant, which usual ly follows the advent of European soldiery in half-civilized country. The discipline among the troops is very lax, and will prob ably disappear altogether unless some em- ployment is found for the men. Ships ar irving with stores are unable to discharge their cargoes; their crews run riot on shore and add to the confusion. Crime is assuming such large proportions that already it has been fouEd necessary to annex the island of Donlu and turn it into penal settlement for the more desperate criminals. Some four hundred scoundrels were on the island when the last mail left. Owing to the character of the desperadoes very strong force of soldiers has to be employed to guard them. The business is expensive as well as danger ous, for each convict is estimated to cost the Italian government eight to ten francs day.
 Meanwhile the Abyssinians are shrieking to the Italians to come on if they wish to be annihilated. It is expected that the invita- tions will be accepted as soon as the last batch of two thousand camels and five hun dred mules now on their way to Massowah from Egypt shall have arrived. King John has put every able-bodied man in his king dom under arms, with the usual result to the country. Agriculture is at a standstill and many districts are on the verge of famine, bnt his copper-colored majesty doesn't take count of the sufferings of non-combatants so long as he can keep his army supplied. He is confident he can whip the Italians as soon as they venture from the protection of the forts at MassoHah and the men-of- war in the harbor, and he is promising his warriors high old time as soon as they have driven the invaders into the sea and taken posses sion of Massowah.